If you are looking for that perfect holiday and racking your brains trying to think of a place in the mystic South East Asia? Then Sri Lanka is the place and you must visit Colombo Sri Lanka. It is like a hidden treasure! Once you discover it you will keep on coming to explore the other places of interest we have for you.

In just 45 minutes of landing at the Katunayake Airport your coach or taxi will take you to the largest and most vibrant city Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. From hence forth you will taken on a guided tour to the places you must visit even on a business or a very short holiday.

Colombo being the largest is Sri Lanka has an array of attractions and activities to offer its visitors. With just one visit, or it may even be your maiden visit to this extraordinary city of culture you will come away with an experience you will truly remember.

Colombo is located in the west coast of the island and has access to some stunning and alluring beaches Galle Face Green is Colombo’s main beach and offers visitors a perfect location to engage in water sports or just lounge under the sun. Galle Face Green also boasts Colombo’s largest and most elegant promenade which is always busting with activities in restaurant, bars, coffee shops and boutiques.

Take a walk through Colombo’s central district and admire the city’s countless historical buildings and landmarks from Colombo’s Ole Parliament, President’s house (formerly known as Queen’s house during British Regime), Churches, the Jumma Mosque, Hindu Kovils, The Lake House , the Newspaper bastion of Sri Lanka , The Fort Railway Station and the famous Cargill’s and Millers complex in Colombo’s beautiful Fort district. There. is always something exciting to see in Colombo.

Colombo also abounds with Performance and fine arts. The city’s various performing arts centers, such as the Lionel Wendt Theatre and Elphinstone and the Tower Hall. They feature unique and exciting productions year around, while Colombo’s museums – such as National Museum of Colombo and the Art Gallery in Green Path display various collections such as the jewelry and throne of Sri Lanka’s Last King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.

In addition to these are the number annual events and fairs. During vesak, which is a great Buddhist event, one could see whole of Colombo decorated with beautiful lanterns and displays of lights. while the life of Buddha is narrated in story form.

Whether you are travelling to Colombo on business or for pleasure you can always expect the very best of hospitality.

Colombo is the commercial centre of Sri Lanka, filled with shopping centres and all modern facilities. The city has an eclectic blend of old and new, traditional and modern, Eastern and Western. Colombo Sri Lanka's largest city, is noisy, frenetic - and just a little crazy. Thankfully, the breakdowns, snarled traffic and power cuts are received with a shrug and a smile. 'No problem' might be the national motto; it's certainly the one phrase everyone knows and can say.

Colombo is a relatively easy city to find your way around. To the north is the Fort district, the country's business centre, which has department stores, book shops, airline offices and is the site of the Central Bank. There are also ample sights such as the clock tower, a former lighthouse, the President's residence (known by incorrigible traditionalists as Queen's House), and a cluster of colonial buildings which lend the district an aura of bygone Empire.

Immediately south of here is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green graced by cricket games, kite flyers and trysting lovers. Cinammon Gardens, further south, is Colombo's most fashionable neighbourhood, with elegant mansions, tree-lined streets and the city's largest park. East of the fort is the pungent Pettah bazaar district. Walk through and marvel at the riot of goods - fruit, vegetables, meat, gems, gold, silver, brass and tin junk.

Culture buffs shouldn't miss the National Museum, which has a good collection of historical works, the Art Gallery, which focuses on portraiture and temporary exhibits by local artists, and the city's many mosques and Buddhist and Hindu temples. After familiarising yourself with Sri Lankan culture, check out the island's fauna at the Dehiwala Zoo. The highlight here is an afternoon elephant show. The closest real beach is at Mt Lavinia, a faded resort 10km south of the city. Budget accommodation, cheap food and the best shopping can be found in the Fort and Pettah districts. Nightlife is moribund, though a visit to the cinema in the Fort district is an experience.

The National Treasure housed in a colonial type mansion, the Museum - as it is , perhaps, best known - is the repository of items of interest from pre-historic times to the near present.

The regal white edifice of the Sri Lanka National Museum set amidst a generously spread of property in the exclusive environs of Cinnamon Gardens. The sheer beauty of the building revealing shades of Italian architecture rarely fails to evoke a second glance. This beautiful structure can be traced back to 1877, when it was purposely built to house antiques. At that time this project was ably supported by the British Governor of Ceylon (as it was then known), Sir William Henry Gregory.

When the national museum was inaugurated in 1877, it had a mere 800 items on display. Today that number has grown to over 100,000!. As more artefacts from the island's natural history were unearthed, a need was felt to differentiate cultural and natural history so that visitors could gain a comprehensive insight into both facets of their heritage under one roof. Ranging from pre-historic times to the Kandyan (early 19th century) period, this museum showcases diverse aspects of life in Sri Lanka. Attention to detail like a miniature carvings on an everyday object such as a toothpick reveals much about the skill and expertise of artists of early times, who did not have modern technology - relying instead , on dedicated manual effort.

The museum's invaluable collection of ivory objects are the most unique in the world. Its vast coin collection (dating back to 6th century BC). the royal throne and crown of the last king of Kandy (Sri Wickrama Rajasingha) stone inscriptions and sculptures, intricate jewellery, rudimentary stone implements and a massive skeleton of a blue whale are the highlights of this museum.

The Museum also houses a library that maintains a list of rare historical books and chronicles for history lovers. and as a research institute it is actively involved in conducting intensive research in pre history ethnology, anthropology, culture and the crafts. It also conducts lectures and seminars periodically.

About 500 visitors both locals and visitors from abroad pass through its portals daily. The television commercials highlighting exhibits from the museum have generated much interest among visitors. The museum brings to life valuable history lessons for the younger generation, about their past and legacy. One would wonder about the maintenance of such a valuable treasure. The Treasury allocates resources directly for its maintenance. These funds have to be shared with eight other regional museums which come under its purview.

Details of how to get in touch with Sri Lanka National Museum (Colombo):
Address 853 Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7. Sri Lanka
Telephone: (94) 11 269 5366 (Direct) (94) 11 269 4767 (General)
Facsimile : (94) 11 269 2092
email : nemdep@slt.lk
Tickets US$ 5 (Rs. 500/- (local Currency)) - additional charges apply for taking photographs
Open : 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Fridays and National Holidays
Apart from the National History Museum, there are two other museums located in Colombo city.
Dutch Period Museum at Pettah

Bandarnaike Museum on Baudhaloka Mawatha .

Sri Lanka's premier zoo at Dehiwela, which is located 11km from Capital Colombo. This Zoo is one of the finest and largest in Asia. It may not be the best but is being developed to modern standards. Well laid out gardens give the visitor an opportunity to relax forget the busy schedules back at home or at the office and to get away from the polluted and noisy atmosphere.

You'll find a day trip to the zoo and the nearby beach at Mount Lavinia makes for a pleasant outing

To read more about Dehiwala zoo, please click this link.

The Portuguese and the Dutch periods originally built Colombo Fort. It is now the commercial nerve centre of Colombo city. There are number of interesting places which can be accessed on foot. Some of these places are;
The colonial buildings the Presidential Secretariat
Grand Orient hotel, built as a barrack for soldiers in the 19th century
The Lighthouse
The Clock Tower.

Pettah is the main shopping hub of Colombo and is adjacent to Fort.

Viharamahadevi Park is the oldest and the largest park in Colombo city, it is a riot of colours with flowering plants blooming from March to May. Also a feast for the eyes is the Cinnamon Gardens, where the elegant tree lined streets houses the palatial residences of the ruling elite.

The Galle Face Green is a promenade, which stretches for half kilometre along the coast in the heart of financial, and business district of Colombo. This promenade on the sea face is the favourite haunt for children, teenagers, lovers, vendors and all those who want to indulge in their past time activities under the open sky.

Prominent centres of Buddhist importance are Vajiramaya temple at Bambalapitiya, Raja Maha Viharaya at Bellanwalia and Gotami Viharaya at Borella. There are also Hindu temples like the Kathiseran temples at Pettah, dedicated to the war god Skanda; Sri Poonnambalam Vaneswaram temple at Koch-chikade and Sri Bala Selva Vinayagar temple at Colombo 10, dedicated to Lord Siva and Ganesha

There are a number of popular and historical churches in Colombo. St. Peter’s Church near the Grand Oriental Hotel, Wolvendaal Church at Wolfendahl Street are some of the oldest Churches in Colombo which attract tourists of all faiths. Among others, mention may be made of the famous Church of St. Anthony at the intersection of the Sea Street and St. Anthony’s Mawatha.

There are two most famous mosques in Colombo, one is the Jami-ul-Alfar Mosque. the Jami-ul-Alfar Mosque is a red and white candy striped mosque dating back to 1909. The Memm Hamafi mosque is more traditional one. Both Mosques are located at Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha.

It has a varied picture consisting of elegant stores, office buildings, Churches, the important Buddhist Gangarama Temple, a residential colony as well as filthy stinking slums. Anyone looking for peace of mind can visit the Sima Malaka meditation island which belongs to the nearby temple.

One of the world’s best beaches you will find here. Just 12 km. south of Colombo, Mount Lavinia is the most popular beach because of its close proximity to the capital. It is situated beside a wind swept headland jutting into the waters of the Indian Ocean. Mt-Lavinia beach is noteworthy in historical value as well as in beauty. It is an ideal place to indulge in relaxation and enjoy the sea. The Governor's House built in 1805 by Sir Thomas Maitland now forms part of the famous Mount Lavinia Hotel. Mt-Lavinia Beach is quite busy on Sundays and public holidays with large crowds gathered to participate in many beach sports activities such as swimming, wind surfing, beach volleyball, beach rugby, etc. Music by Live bands & Entertainment by DJs keep the toes of the crowd tapping.

It is one of the most significant Buddhist temples located about 11 kms away from the Colombo Fort. Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya had been built more than 2000 years ago and contains images of reclining and preaching Buddha along with frescoes depicting incidents from his life.

Independence Square and its surroundings considered to be one of the most prestigious locations in Colombo are to be converted into an exclusive haven for cultural activities, recreation and academic and research excellence.

One of the world famous beach restaurants and even Princess Anne dined here.The restaurant serves fresh seafood and even discusses the menu with you under a thatched roof on plain wooden tables; weather permitting on the sand outside. Great atmosphere.